Good health is a prerequisite to development - healthy people help communities grow and economies prosper. Here are 12 facts about the state of health in Pacific Island countries and why they are major concerns for ADB.
- Pacific Island Countries still face great challenges in meeting the 'health' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
Source: ADB. 2011. The Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries - The MDGs concerning the reduction of child mortality, improving maternal health, and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases will be the most challenging to meet.
Source: ADB. 2011. The Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries - The incidence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and other cardiovascular illnesses among Pacific nations is the highest in the world and accounts for 75% of all deaths in the region.
Source: ADB. 2011. The Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries - In Palau, for example, while the government advocates a healthy lifestyle, rates of obesity are high, as are rates of consumption of alcohol and tobacco, the latter being related to the widespread chewing of betel nut.
Source: ADB. 2012. Sustainable Health Care Financing in the Republic of Palau - Non-communicable disease treatment now accounts for up to 60% of total health care expenditure across the Pacific archipelago.
Source: World Health Organization. 2010. Pacific islanders pay Heavy Price for Abandoning Traditional Diet - Pacific Island governments spend a relatively high share of their GDP on health- in Nauru, 25% of total government spending goes towards health compared to 4.2% in Viet Nam.
Source: ADB. 2012. Sustainable Health Care Financing in the Republic of Palau - The populations of most Pacific Islands countries are too small to support a full range of modern health care services - increasing numbers of residents leave the country for advanced treatment.
Source: ADB. 2012. Sustainable Health Care Financing in the Republic of Palau - Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have the highest rate of malaria in the region.
Source: ADB. 2011. Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific - A regional plan of action is being developed to address nutritional challenges - in general, poor urban households rely on imported or shop-purchased items for up to 75% of their diet.
Source: ADB. 2011. The Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries - Anecdotal evidence suggests that the HIV prevalence rate in the Pacific is rising, although little data exists on HIV among 15-24 year olds.
Source: ADB. 2011. The Millennium Development Goals in Pacific Island Countries - Papua New Guinea accounts for 90% of HIV/AIDS cases in the Pacific.
Source: ADB. 2011. ADB and Partners Help PNG Boost Rural Health Services - To help rural health services in Papua New Guinea, ADB and partners are supporting a $81.2 million project, which will particularly benefit pregnant mothers and children PNG has an excessively high rate of maternal death.
Source: ADB. 2011. ADB and Partners Help PNG Boost Rural Health Services
